Today in terrifying technology news, Apple has revealed that it wants its users to be able to donate their organs using iOS 10. Yes, really.
Using the updated version of Apple’s Health app in the upcoming operating system, users will be able to learn more about organ donation and actually register to the National Donate Life Registry via their iPhone or iPad.
In a press statement, Apple’s chief operating officer Jeff Williams said: “Apple’s mission has always been to create products that transform people’s lives. With the updated Health app, we’re providing education and awareness about organ donation and making it easier than ever to register. It’s a simple process that takes just a few seconds and could help save up to eight lives.” He concluded: “Together with Donate Life America, we’re excited to deliver this new feature to iPhone users in the US with iOS 10.”
The passing of Steve Jobs (pictured) led current Apple CEO Tim Cook to want to increase the number of organ donors. (Image Credit: David Paul Morris / Getty Images)
The changes will allow iOS 10 users to sign up to become an organ, eye and tissue donor directly from the Health app, by way of a simple process that also offers information regarding organ donations. This new addition to iOS 10 has seemingly been included as a response to the passing of the late Apple CEO Steve Jobs, with current CEO Tim Cook saying as much in an interview with the Associated Press. In the interview, Cook spoke of the wait Jobs was forced to endure to receive a liver transplant back in 2009, saying: “Watching and seeing him every day, waiting and not knowing — it stuck with me and left an impression that I’ll never forget.” Cook had offered to donate part of his own liver, but was refused by Jobs.
After receiving a transplant, he spent 2010 lobbying for more people to become organ donors, which has ultimately led to Apple’s new partnership with Donate Life America. Cook said that he hopes the number of new donors will be “substantial” as a result of the updated Health app, and given the ease in which people can now register, that will likely be the case.
iOS 10 was announced at Apple’s WWDC 2016 event in San Francisco last month, with the new operating system set for launch this September. A Developer Preview is available now, while a public beta will launch sometime in the summer.
